Gov Update – 3rd Jan
WELL GOOD MORNING EVERYONE
HAPPY NEW YEAR
HERE WITH DAVID AND DR HENNY
A SUNDAY UPDATE AS ON NYE – 2 PEOPLE TESTED POSITIVE
IT WAS UNUSUAL – THEY HAD COMPLETED 14 DAY ISO
THE NEWS OBVS CAUSED CONCERN. IT’S ENCOURAGING AND REASSURING THAT WE HAVE REMAINED VIGILANT RATHER THAN COMPLACENT IN OUR ATTITUDE TO THE VIRUS
BOTH ARE SELF ISOLATING AGAIN. LET’S WISH THEM WELL
3 THINGS TO CHAT THROUGH TODAY
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WHAT HAPPENED
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HOW WE RESPONDED
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WHAT’S NEXT
SPOILER ALERT – NO BAD NEWS TODAY. ALL 398 TEST RESULTS HAVE COME BACK AS NEGATIVE
MORE SWABBING SCHEDULED TODAY AND TOMORROW. DOESN’T MEAN THAT THERE IS NO COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION.
1.WHAT HAPPENED
PERSON ARRIVED ON ISLAND THURS 10TH
14 DAY ISO IN SHARED ACCOM WITH OTHER TRAVELLERS
ISO ENDED NOON 23RD DEC
ON THE 30TH THE INDIVIDUAL CALLED WITH COVID SYMPTOMS
NYE THE TEST CAME BACK POSITIVE
CONTACT TRACING STARTED – 8 CLOSE CONTACTS IDENTIFIED
SWAB SQUAD WERE ALL OVER TESTING THE 8 CLOSE CONTACTS – ONE CAME BACK POSITIVE
ALL CLOSE CONTACTS IN SELF ISO
LOCATIONS VISITED:
Wednesday 23 December 2020
12:30 pm to 1.10 pm РA Caf̩, Duke Street, Douglas
7.40 pm to 8.40 pm – Terrace Chippy, Prospect Terrace, Douglas
Thursday 24 December 2020
7.30 pm to 8.30 pm – Majestic Chinese Restaurant, Central Promenade, Douglas
9:00 pm to 10:00 pm – Casino at the Best Western Palace Hotel & Casino, Central Promenade, Douglas
Saturday 26 December 2020
11.00 pm to 2.00 am – 1886, Regent Street, Douglas
Monday 28 December 2020
8:15 pm to 9:45 pm – the casino at the Best Western Palace Hotel & Casino, Central Promenade, Douglas
Tuesday 29 December 2020
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm – Robinsons, Cooil Road, Braddan
ABOUT THE VENUES
ONLY ONE CLOSE / HIGH RISK CONTACT WAS INDENTIFIED ACROSS THE VENUES, THEY TESTED NEGATIVE AND ARE SELF ISOLATING.
IF YOU WERE AT THESE LOCATIONS, YOU ARE CONSIDERED LOW RISK
IF YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS, SELF ISO AND CALL 111
OTHERWISE YOU’RE LOW RISK
RISK TO THE VENUES IS LOW, THEY HAVE DECIDED THEMSELVES TO CLOSE (BUT DON’T NEED TO)
HENNY
ALWAYS CONSCIOUS THAT WE ARE WORKING TO MAINTAIN LOCAL ELIMINATION
WE LIAISE CLOSELY WITH GSY TO SHARE CLUSTER MANAGEMENT IDEAS
IMPORTANT TO STRESS THAT WE DON’T HAVE ANY CLUSTERS LINKED TO THE VENUE
THE CLUSTER IS THE TWO THAT TRAVELLED
WHEN CONTACT TRACING WE LOOK AT THE BEHAVIOUR OF THE PERSON
IF THE INFECTED PERSON STAYS WITHIN THEIR OWN GROUP AND DOESN’T SHOUT OR GET OFF WITH ANYONE, THE RISK TO OTHERS IN THE VENUE IS LOW
IN TERMS OF THE VENUES THEMSELVES, RISK OF SPREAD ON SURFACES IS LOW. WE WOULD NOT ADVISE CLOSURE OF ANY OF THE VENUES
TIMING OF THE NYE TWEET (HQ)
WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD ALL OF THE FACTS, AND HAD CONTACTED ALL OF THE BUSINESSES
WORKED INTO THE EVENING AND WANTED TO GET THE INFO OUT ASAP
TIMING WAS UNUSUAL BUT DECISION WAS MADE TO GET INFO OUT QUICKLY, I STAND BY IT
A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WORKED HARD NYE AND NYD – THANKS ALL
CONFUSION ABOUT 111 / SURVEILLANCE TESTING
HOWARD
AS RISK WAS LOW, WE COULD ONLY OFFER TESTS WHO HAD COVID LIKE SYMPTOMS
LEVEL OF RESPONSE WAS HIGH, ESPECIALLY FROM THOSE IN 1886, BUT WHO DID NOT HAVE SYMPTOMS.THANKS FOR SENSE OF COMMUNITY, EVEN THOUGH THEY DIDN’T NEED A TEST WE WERE HAPPY TO GIVE ADVICE
THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THE SURVEILLANCE TESTING, WE UNDERSTAND WHY AND WILL LEARN FROM IT
HENNY
WE WANTED TO WIDEN CASE FINDING TO MAXIMISE CHANCE OF CATCHING SPREAD
SO WE WIDENED STRATEGY TO INCLUDE ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE
FOR ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE LINKED TO A LOCATION OF INTEREST THEIR RISK IS LOW -BUT IT GIVES US MORE DATA,.
NEGATIVE TEST DOES NOT MEAN THEY CANNOT BECOME INFECTED, THEY CAN STILL DEVELOP SYMPTOMS AND SHOULD CALL 111 IF THEY DO
MASS POPULATION TESTING ISN’T APPROPRIATE AS WE DON’T HAVE COMMUNITY SPREAD
HOWARD
THANKS TO THOSE WHO TOOK UP A TEST EVEN IF THEY DIDN’T HAVE SYMPTOMS
ON THE VOLUME OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR A TEST – FIGURE IS HIGH, BUT IT’S NOT ALL 1886 REVELLERS
IT ALSO INCLUDES RETURNING TRAVELLERS WHO ARE COUNTED TWICE AS THEY HAVE A DAY 1 AND A DAY 13
WE CONTINUE TO HAVE GOOD TESTING CAPACITY
A LOT TO UNPACK THERE, WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL OF THE INFO
2. WHAT WE DID
HOWARD
WE HAVE DEVELOPED PLANS TO MANAGE CLUSTERS AND OUTBREAKS – SIMILAR TO GSY AND NZ
WHAT WE HAVE IS A HOUSEHOLD CLUSTER
NOT CASES IDENTIFIED AT THE VENUES
IF WE DO GET THEM, WE WILL ACT
MEASURES COULD INCLUDE – WIDER TESTING, SPECIFIC VENUE CLOSURE AND SOCIAL DISTANCING
HENNY
THERE ARE NO CLUSTERS THAT ARE LINKED TO ANY OF THE VENUES
COVID OUTBREAK RESPONSE PLAN IS ON THE WEBSITE. BUT WE DON’T NEED TO TRIGGER IT
3. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
IT’S A WAITING GAME.
ALL TESTS SO FAR HAVE BEEN NEGATIVE
ENCOURAGING BUT DOESN’T MEAN WE’RE OUT OF THE WOODS
TEST IS A POINT IN TIME, SO 14 DAYS ISOLATION IS STILL REQUIRED, NEWLY INTRODUCED 13 DAY TEST GIVES US CONFIDENCE
TESTING WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND TOMORROW
HIGH NUMBER OF NEGATIVE TESTS GIVES US REASON FOR CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM
IF THERE IS A CASE WE WILL TEST, TRACE AND ACT ACCORDINGLY
V-DAY
TOMORROW WILL BE V DAY IN THE IOM AS OUR VACCINATION PROGRAMME GETS UNDERWAY
OXFORD IS ON THE HORIZON
ASHY
FIRST ISLANDERS WILL BE JABBED TOMORROW
WE’RE CONTINUING TO RECEIVE SUPPLY
HEALTH CARE AND CARE HOME WORKERS FIRST
OVER 80’S WILL GET LETTERS THIS WEEK
MASKS
NO REQUIREMENT, BUT WEAR ONE IF YOU WANT
RESPECT OTHERS IF THEY WANNA WEAR THEM
QUESTIONS
AL BELL: 36 HOURS OF RADIO SILENCE, MISINFORMATION HAS SPREAD. BUSINESSES AND CARE HOMES HAVE CLOSED, COULD YOU HAVE DONE MORE?
HQ: WE SAID IT WAS LOW RISK IN THE PRESS RELEASE. TEAMS HAVE BEEN WORKING FLAT OUT, WE UPDATED WITH ANOTHER PRESS RELEASE WHEN WE HAD FULL DETAILS
ASHY: CARE HOMES ADVICE ISSUED WHEN ASKED FOR, WAS TAKE NO ACTION. WE WANTED TO WAIT UNTIL SURVEILLANCE TESTING RESULTS RETURNED BEFORE WE HELD A PRESSER SO WE COULD GIVE REASSURANCE
AL BELL: IF THERE IS A A VACUUM OF INFORMATION, PEOPLE BECOME FEARFUL. 36 HOURS WAS A LONG TIME…
ASHY: IN ORDER TO HOLD A PRESSER WE NEEDED THE SURVEILLANCE RESULTS
AL BELL: IS THE NEW VARIANT HERE YET?
HENNY: DOESN’T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO OUR RESPONSE, BUT WILL BE INTERESTING WHEN WE KNOW, WHICH SHOULD BE AT THE END OF THE WEEK
SAM: HOW MANY CONTACTED 111 FROM 1886 WITH SYMPTOMS?
HQ: HAVEN’T GOT THE DETAIL, WE’LL GET IT TO YOU
SAM: WAS CONSIDERATION GIVEN TO A SECOND TEST FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TESTED AS A RESULT OF THIS TRACING GIVEN THIS PERSON TESTED POSITIVE AFTER 14 DAYS?
HENNY: NO, THE SAME PROTOCOLS ARE IN PLACE
ROB: STILL A WAITING GAME – DO HAVE A ROUGH ESTIMATE OF WHEN YOU WILL HAVE AN ACCURATE PICTURE?
HENNY: INCUBATION PERIOD IS 14 DAYS, SO ONCE WE GET BEYOND THIS, THE LIKELIHOOD FAILS AWAY. IF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE SYMPTOMATIC DON’T COME FORWARD, IT MAKES IT MORE CHALLENGING.
ROB: VIRUS SURVEILLANCE TESTING FOR 1886. WHAT WAS THE CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING THEM?
HENNY: EVERYONE WAS OFFERED A TEST
PAUL: TIMELINE PLEASE. 10 AM NYE BUT NOTHING UNTIL 23.45. AS SOON AS YOU GET THE FIRST CASE, SHOULDN’T YOU GET THE INFO OUT?
ASHY: 10AM POSITIVE CASE CONFIRMED / CONTACT TRACING INITIATED / 2.30PM CLOSE CONTACTS TESTED / ONE TESTED POSITIVE / IDENTIFIED VENUES MEANT WORKING LATE INTO THE EVENING / PRESS RELEASE DRAFTED EARLY EVENING / BY THE TIME WE HAD ALL OF THE INFO AND GOT IT OUT IT WAS 23.45
PAUL: CAN’T YOU JUST TELL THE PUBLIC AS SOON AS THERE IS A POSITIVE TEST?
ASHY: WE NEED ALL OF THE FACTS FROM CONTACT TRACING SO PUBLIC HAVE ALL OF THE FACTS. WE DON’T WANT TO CAUSE MASS PANIC
PAUL: SURELY YOU’LL PANIC PEOPLE MORE BY GOING OUT AT 23.45 WHEN PEOPLE ARE IN THE VENUES ON NYE?
ASHY: PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE REAL RISKS RATHER THAN JUST HAVE HALF THE STORY
HQ: TRYING TO MAKE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL HERE PAUL. WE WERE ALL OVER IT IN 13 HOURS
HENNY: THE WHOLE POINT WAS THAT THOSE PLACES WERE NOT AT RISK ON NYE
PAUL: YOU SAY HAVE BUT WE HAVEN’T GOT ALL OF THE FACTS, WE DON’T KNOW IF IT’S THE NEW VARIANT?
HENNY: IT DOESN’T MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE IMMEDIATE MANAGEMENT ETC
TIM: CAN YOU BE CERTAIN THE PERSON DIDN’T PICK UP THE VIRUS IN THE COMMUNITY?
HENNY: EXTENSIVE TESTING IS TELLING IS THERE IS NO COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION. 3 MAIN EXPLANATIONS FOR THIS PERSON;
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INDIVIDUAL IN THE KNOWN 1% WHO IS INFECTIOUS AFTER 14 DAYS
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SYMPTOMS STARTED PRIOR TO THE END OF ISO – BUT THEY DIDN’T RECOGNISE THEM
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STRING ONE – HOUSEHOLD MEMBER WHO TESTED NEGATIVE WAS ASYMPTOMATIC AND PASSED IT ONTO THE TWO WHO TESTED POSITIVE
TIM: PEOPLE RETURNING TO WORK TOMORROW, DO THEY NEED TO MAKE CHANGES TO STAFFING IF STAFF MEMBERS WENT TO 1886?
HENNY: BUSINESSES ARE NOT BEING ADVISED TO MAKE CHANGES BY PUBLIC HEALTH
DUNCAN: SHOULD THE POLICE HAVE VISITED 1886 ON NYE?
HENNY: NOPE
DUNCAN: 1886 SAID IT WAS NEWS TO THEM ON FACEBOOK?
HQ: I’VE BEEN ADVISED THAT EVERYONE WAS TOLD IN PERSON OR BY TELEPHONE
DUNCAN: MANY READERS ARE CONCERNED. IS THIS NOT THE TIME TO RETURN TO BORDER LEVEL 5?
HQ: A CONCERN FOR ALL OF US, BUT WE’VE MADE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES BY STOPPING COMPASSIONATE AND TIGHTENING UP ON KEY WORKERS. IF EVIDENCE FROM MEDICS CHANGES, COMIN WILL CONSIDER IT.
“NEVER IN TABLETS OF STONE. LEARNING ALL OF THE TIME ABOUT THE VIRUS”
JUAN TURNER: 19 DAYS SINCE THE VACCINE ARRIVED. WHY THE DELAY? WHEN IS THE PROJECTED DATE FOR MASS VACCINATION?
ASHY: WE WERE WAITING FOR CROWN INDEMNITY. WE WERE WAITING FOR FULL PROTOCOLS, THEY DIDN’T COME TILL 18TH.
WE HAD CHRISTMAS AND NY COMING UP, WE CAN’T SPLIT THE TRAYS. SO WANTED THE RUN OF A FULL WEEK, ALSO WANTED ENOUGH STOCK FOR THE SECOND DOSE
CARE HOME AND FRONTLINE HEALTH WORKERS MIGHT OVERLAP WITH THE OVER 80’S, SO WE MIGHT GET THEM DONE BEFORE MARCH.
MASS POPULATION DEPENDS ON GETTING EVERYONE REGISTERED AND ENOUGH VACCINE. OTHER AGES SHOULD KICK OFF JUST AFTER EASTER
FYI – IF UK DON’T GET THEIRS, THEN WE DON’T GET OURS, SO THIS COULD IMPACT THE ROLL OUT.
JUAN: PROJECTED TIMING FOR WHOLE ISLAND?
ASHY: DELIVERY OF VACCINES ARE SPACED SO IT WILL TAKE UP TO A YEAR
JUAN: HOW WILL THIS IMPACT TRAVEL PLANS FOR ISLANDERS?
VIRUS INFECTION RATES IN OTHER COUNTRIES WILL DRIVE DECISION FOR BORDER POLICY
WE STILL DON’T KNOW IF VACCINE = IMMUNITY
CLOSING
CONGRATS TO THOSE WHO WERE AWARDED MBES
AND EDNA AND CHIEF CONSTABLE GARY WHO RECEIVED SPECIAL AWARDS
WASH YOUR HANDS
SNEEZE INTO YOUR ELBOW
HAVE A GOOD SUNDAY
